Few would dispute that tax talk is confusing, ever changing and often intimidating. Provided below are guidelines and tips to better understand tax laws and help you determine if and how child and dependent care tax credits and nanny taxes may affect you.
Child and Dependent Care Tax Credits
You may be able to offset your childcare costs by taking advantage of a childcare tax credit. Essentially, the credit is a percentage of the amount you’ve paid this past year in childcare for children under 13. To qualify, you had to have been paying a nanny or babysitter to care for your children while you work or look for work, meaning you cannot take advantage of the credit if you are hiring a sitter so you can run personal errands, hit the gym or simply enjoy some well-deserved time to yourself.
Key points to know:
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You can count up to $3,000 in expenses for one qualifying child or up to $6,000 in expenses for two or more qualifying dependents.
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The amount of the tax credit is based on your adjusted gross income and can range from 20%-35% of your expenses.
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To be eligible for the childcare tax breaks, you must identify the care provider on your tax return, report the wages paid to him or her, and remit the necessary employment taxes.
For more details, check out this helpful and easy to follow 10 Things to Know about the Child and Dependent Care Credit from the Internal Revenue Service.
Nanny Taxes
How do you know if the Nanny Tax applies to you and your regular nanny or sitter? The IRS requires you to pay employment tax if you are paying a domestic household employee – including a nanny or babysitter – more than $1,800 per year. There are several qualifiers and exceptions, so check the IRS guidelines to determine if you are required to pay the taxes. There are generally both federal and state tax obligations. States requirements differ, so check to find specifics for your home state. Need some help? Services like HomeWork Solutions specialize in helping parents and childcare workers navigate the tax waters.
We aren’t here to advise you on your potential obligations or personal filings, but hope to help by providing helpful guidelines and resources for finding more information. Your professional tax advisor or accountant can certainly tell you more. Also be sure to check the IRS guide for household employers.
Disclaimer: UrbanSitter’s presentation of the resources in this blog post is not in any way an endorsement or tax advice. Taxes and tax advice are complicated by nature, and you should be sure to do your own due diligence when preparing for the upcoming tax season. UrbanSitter is not responsible for any tax or other advice provided by any entity, nor is UrbanSitter responsible for filing or assisting in the filing of taxes for parents, babysitters, and/or nannies registered on www.urbansitter.com.